1. Why Another Intercultural Manual?

There is a great number of books on other cultures based on scientific research, often on a comparative basis to better understand cultural differences. Our manual aims to make it easier to understand individual cultures, by describing the cultural background and individual characteristics of each culture, their uniqueness and how to approach them to build successfully cross cultural relationships. It explains why the individual historical experience as well as the living environment of a given culture, have led to specific social behaviors and rituals often so different from our own way of living together. This manual is the result from the authors experience of living, managing and teaching in other parts of our world. It offers a comprehensive approach for everyday life with people from other cultures.

This chapter provides background information on our reasons for having written this work, for all those who are interculturally interested, personally involved or professionally engaged worldwide. It focusses on communication and on the importance of interculturalism in today’s world underlining the need for openness towards alien worlds. Finally, we explain how this work is structured and how you can best use it for yourself.